Tubular and other metal scaffolding and like structures



, July 22, 1941.

J. BURTON 2,249,941

TUBULAR AND OTHER METAL SCAFFOLDING AND LIKE STRUCTURES Filed July so,1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI 1 r v 33 I '58 I3 3 I 3 I I H. Z8

Z8 29 n I5 III 5 28 la IS S l6 l5 m, 33 I2 l6 July 22, 1941. J. BURTON 99 TUBULAR AND OTHER METAL SCAFFOLDING AND LIKE STRUCTURES Filed July so,1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 John Ruin-g Patented July 22, 1941 TUBULAR ANDOTHER METAL SCAFFOLDING AND LIKE STRUCTURES John Burton, Edgbaston,Birmingham, England Application July 30, 1940, Serial No. 348,529 InGreat Britain August 2, 1939 Claims.

This invention relates to tubular and other metal scaffolding and likestructures, being particularly applicable to the construction ofstructures such as trestles and bridges for supporting railways, roadsor other tracks; for example, the scenic railways or gravity ridescommonly found in amusement apparatus.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved construction inwhich the track or other superstructure may be supported upon standardsconsisting of plain metal tubes.

A further object is to enable the bearers for the track orsuperstructure to be supported on the standards aforesaid by means whichare adjustable longitudinally of the latter and can be eilectivelypositioned without the use of bolts or the equivalent passingtransversely through the standards, the weakening of which by theprovision of holes or slots therein being thus avoided.

In scenic railways and gravity rides the track usually consists of, orincludes, wooden longitudinal members, and yet another object of theinvention is to provide a rigid support for the track by mounting itupon flat-topped wooden bearers which connect the metallic standardsaforesaid.

A still further object of the invention is'to facilitate the erection ofthe structure, which in the case of an amusement apparatus may require,after a short period, to be dismantled for transference to another site.

The use of plain tubular or other standards and the adjustability of thebearer supporting means longitudinally thereof to any desired positionenables the structure to be erected on sites of entirely differentconfiguration with ease.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional View in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a section on the line Z2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the clamps.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the distance piece.

Figure 5 is an end view looking parallel to the track and showing onemethod of securing the track bearing members to the uprights.

Figure 6 is a sectional view in side elevation showing the constructionillustrated by Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan corresponding with Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a sectional view in side elevation showing a modification.

Figure 9 is an end view showing another modification.

Figure 101s a view in side elevation corresponding with Figure 9.

In the constructions illustrated the invention is shown as applied tothe supporting of a track of a scenic railway, gravity ride or the likefor use, for example, in an amusement park. The supporting structure forthe track is constructed in a manner similar to ordinary tubular steelscaffolding arranged in a manner to correspond with the desiredconfiguration of the track, such supporting structure comprisingvertical steel members [6 of plain tubular form which are connectedtogether by crossed tubular struts H attached to the tubes Ill by clamps[2 of the kind commonly employed in the erection of tubular steelscafiolding.

The vertical steel tubes or standards It] are arranged in pairs, one ofeach pair being at each side of the track I 3. If required between eachpair of vertical tubes l8 there may be a third tube It) as shown inFigure 2.

The track members I3 may be supported upon longitudinal track members Mwhich are placed upon bearers I 5. These bearers are of rectangularsection and may be made of wood, and they are arranged in pairs placedside by side as shown clearly in Figure 1.

The fiat top of each bearer l5 makes contact over a substantial areawith the flat undersides of the track members It laid upon it, so thatthe track is supported much more rigidly than would be the case if metaltubes were used as bearers.

For supporting the bearers l5 the tubes Iii are provided with clamps I6,one of which is shown in Figure 3, each clamp [6 including a pair ofcurved plates [1 which are hinged together at 8. The plates I! areprovided with lugs l9 and 2!! which are drawn together by means of bolts2 l. The clamp it, which may be of the kind used in the construction oftubular metal scafiolding, thus grips the vertical tubes Illfrictionally.

Each pair of bearers I 5 rests upon a bracket which may be of standardconstruction and Which, in the arrangement shown in Figures 5, 6 and '7,takes the form of a fiat plate Z2 having a central opening through whichthe tube It can slide.

Between the underside of the plate or bracket 22 and the top of theclamp I6 is a distance sleeve 23. The upper end of the sleeve 23 is flatfor en gagement with the underside of the bracket 22, but owing to thefact that scafiolding clamps of the kind commonly employed in theerection of tubular scaffolding do not present a flush abutment surfaceand usually embody a projecting part, such as the head of the hinge pinN3, the

bular or other metal members of the supporting structure.

By supporting the brackets 22 frictionally upon the metal standard tubesIll as above described, adjustment of the bearers IE to any desiredheight is made possible, and the standards are not weakened by theprovision of holes or slots therein such as would be necessary if thebrackets were positioned by bolts or other transversely disposedmembers.

Furthermore the fact that each bracket 22 can be adjusted to any desiredextent and throughout the entire length of the tube l associatedtherewith greatly facilitates the erection, dismantling, and re-erectionof temporary structures, such as amusement apparatus used infairgrounds. The contours of a scenic railway or gravity ride erected onone site may be reproduced without difficulty when re-erecting thestructure upon a site of entirely different configuration, which wouldbe impossible if the positions of the brackets 22 were governed by thoseof bolt-holes in, or locating formations on, the standard tubes Ill.

The ends of the bearers l are disposed on either side of the tube In andrest on the plate or bracket 22, and the ends of the bearers l5 aredrawn together by bolts 24. The tightening of the nuts on these boltsdraws the bearers towards each other and ensures them gripping the tubeIt so that they are supported partially by this frictional grip andpartially by the plate or bracket 22 which is itself supported by thefrictional grip of the clamp 16 on the tube [0.

In the modification shown in Figure 8, instead of forming the bracket asa flat plate it is formed as a U shaped plate 25, the sides of thisplate embracing the ends of the bearers l5, and

' the bolts 24 extending through the sides of the plate 25 in additionto extending through the bearers themselves. The U shaped plate 25 issupported on the distance tube 23 supported by the clamp l6.

A further modification is shown in Figures 9 and .10, wherein thebracket is again formed as a flat plate 26, and at the outer sides ofthe bearers l5 eye bolts 2'! are provided engaging the plate 26 and alsoengaging the ends of the two cross bolts 24, so that the bearers l5 maybe tightened down upon the bracket 26.

.As will be seen from Figure 2, the bearers l5 may carry twosidestructures 28, each carrying a side track 29 engageable by track wheels30 indicated upon the truck 3|, the truck 3| also having supportingwheels 32 which engage the track IS.

The vertical tubes In placed at the sides of the track. may beextendedupwardly as shown at 33 and provided with clamps 34 carrying a hand rail35.

For additional security, below each of the clamps [6 a second clamp Itmay be mounted upon the vertical tubes l0.

Although I have described the invention as applied to the supporting ofa track of a scenic railway or gravity ride, it should be understoodthat its application is not limited thereto and that it is equallyapplicable to other structures.

What I claim then is:

1. A structure comprising metallic standards, non-metallic bearerssupported upon said standards, each standard being disposed between apair of said bearers, bolts connecting said pair of bearers together atopposite sides of said standard, brackets slidably mounted on saidstandards and adapted to engage beneath the bearers associatedtherewith, and clamps secured in frictional engagement with saidstandards to support said brackets.

2. A structure comprising metallic standards, non-metallic bearerssupported upon said standards, each standard being disposed between apair of said bearers, a U shaped bracket slidably mounted on eachstandard, the adjacent pair of bearers being carried by said bracket anddisposed between the limbs thereof, bolts passing through said bracketlimbs and through said pair of bearers at opposite sides of saidstandard, and clamps secured in frictional engagement with saidstandards to support said brackets.

3. A structure comprising metallic standards, non-metallic bearerssupported upon said standards, each standard being disposed between apair of said bearers, bolts connecting said pair of bearers together atopposite sides of said standard, brackets slidably mounted on saidstandards and adapted to engage beneath the bearers associatedtherewith, means for securing said bearers to said brackets, and clampssecured in frictional engagement with said standards to support saidbrackets.

4. A structure comprising metallic standards, non-metallic bearerssupported upon said standards, each standard being disposed between apair of said bearers, brackets slidably mounted on said standards andadapted to engage beneath the bearers associated therewith, clampssecured in frictional engagement with said standards to support saidbrackets, eye-bolts secured to each bracket at opposite sides of thepair of bearers carried thereby, bolts passing through the eyes of saideye-bolts and connecting said pair of bearers together at opposite sidesof the associated standard, and clamps secured in frictional engagementwith said standards to support said brackets.

5. A structure comprising metallic standards, non-metallic bearersdirectly engaging the sides of said standards and clamped thereto byclamping means passing through the bearers but ofiset from thestandards, whereby the reaction of said standard against the bearer actsbetween two clamping forces drawing the bearer to the standard, abracket on the standard engaging the underside of the bearer, and aclamp frictionally secured on the standard and engaging the underside ofthe bracket.

JOHN BURTON.

